Wall-building machine



y 1950 J. H. MAGDIEL ETAL H 2,513,882

WALL-BUILDING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1949 I I H. "'5

H Jenn HMRGDgEL DANIEL H. MRGDIEL INVENTORS.

fl-rToRney.

Patented July 4, 1950 OFFICE I I 2,513,882 WALL-BUILDING MACHINE John H. Magdiel and Daniel H. Magdiel, Los' Angeles, Calif.

Application May 13, 1949, Serial No. 93,034

6 Claims. (01. 25-131 The invention relates to improvements in the type of wall-building machine in which two main mold sides are fastened together and held in position by a clamping assembly which resists the pressure of tamping semi-soft concrete, in forming a wall.

As is well known, concrete walls can be built by tamping damp aggregate into a wall mold, which, when filled, is at once moved forward to be filled again; but overlapping the just made section about six inches, thus forming continuous horizontal courses, which being tamped of damp, not wet, concrete, stand up without sagging when mold forms are removed.

The idea of building walls in courses of moist, not wet, concrete by tamping it in place, is not by any means new. In fact, it was one of the earliest modes of using concrete as a building material. The method generally employed in forming the wall was to use a set of planks generally in the form of a crib, bolt them together, tamp them full, let it set awhile, then unscrew the bolts and raise the whole crib form up a foot or more and proceed to fill it again. It sounds simple to the inexperienced but the cost of re.- leasing, lifting and resetting, make these walls rather expensive. With our moveable wall mold and by filling and tamping short sections of wall and moving the collapsible mold ahead its own length, minus the overlap, saves much of this time and expense, especially where tension straps and lock levers are used instead of rods and bolts and nuts. However, as stated above, to get strength and rigidity in this way is generally paid for in weight and clumsiness. We solve this dilemma with our novel improvements in this invention.

There have been made other somewhat similar wall-building apparatuses, including one for which Daniel H. Magdiel, one of the present inventors or applicants, was granted Patent No. 945,182. Through experience we have found that the mold sides of such other apparatuses, if made light enough to be conveniently handled while building a wall, are not strong enough to withstand the pressure caused by tamping the semisoftconcrete.

We have therefore, in this invention, contrived to increase and practically double the rigidity without adding weight to the mold side as lighter materials canbe used.

We have also found in said Daniel H. Magdiels former wall mold, that the whole clamp assembly was defective, especially the front clamp arm with top, as formerly made of one piece of channel iron. This was bent to form the spreader top 2 as well as the side of the clamp arm, but this afforded no means of adjustment, so that, when,

as often happened, heavy tamping would spring the clamp arm and throw the mold sides out of alignment. Likewise, the locking lever and double tension strap in the ways and shapes as formerly constructed, were not rigid enough to hold the mold sides firmly in correct position.

In our new, novel, and improved wall-building machine, we increase the strength yet reduce the weight of the mold sides by various novel means,

hereinafter more fully described and also eliminate the defects in the former clamping asse'mblies. I

In drawings Figure I, is an elevation of a portion of the front mold side with front clamp arm attached. Figure II is an elevation of an end view of the whole assembly. Figure III is a plan view of the lower flanges of a mold side with stiffener cleat and reinforcing rod. Figure IV is a rear elevation of the rear clamp arm. Figure V is an elevation of an enlarged portion of rear clamp arm with one side cut away to show;

springstrap holding up mold side with clamp sleeve. Figure VI is a rear elevation of Figure V 1 also showingclip. Figure VII is a plan View of a cross section of Figures V and VI on line VIIV1'I.

Figure VIII is an end view of flange rolled over,

a reinforcing rod.

Referring to Figures I, II, III and IV, Arabic numeral l is the side of the mold, made of a thin flat, approximately rectangular metal sheet, about two inches wider in its middle part, bent on' its lower and upper edges outward at right angles. to form a main stiffening flange 2-2, preferably about one and one-half inches wide at each end and two and one-half inches wide in the middle,

These main flanges 2-2, are again bent at right angles on their outer edges to form a smaller In the bending process a parallel portion is formed at the middle of flange 2 where the main, preferably wood, I

flange 3 on the main flange 2.

stiffener cleat 4 is located. On this the clamp arms 55 are fastened. One or more light cleats 6, preferably of wood, are also placed on each side of the center, to prevent bending outward of the light metal sheet I.

mold sides coincide.

fold flange 3 over rod l and flatten the remainder of flange 3 onto main flange 2 resulting in a strong resilient yet light mold side.

In the new clamp assembly Figure II we overcome the disadvantage of former clamp frames as mentioned above, first by making the front clamp arm 5 upright and separate from the thrust members I-ll-l3 which gives adjustment means as compared with-the old ifront armmadein one piece without adjustment means. Secondly, by usin one tension strap instead of two. Thirdly, by having the rear clamp arm detachable from the mold side, instead of bolted solidi as-form erly. The front and rear upright clamp.arms F and SR we make of specially formed-and'shaped channels as shown in the drawings. In the upper end of the front arm 5F WBLeWGld or; fasten a.v short pipe nipple 8; onto this nipple wescreW an L, preferably a reducer L 9. Into the hori: zontal end of this L, we-screw a short nipple l0 having left-handed threads on its outer end. Onto this nipple end, we screw a left and right coupling H preferably pierced with two holes l2 for insertion of a a turning rod 'orkey. Into the outer right hand threads of this coupling H we screw the main thrust or spreader pipe l3. This pipe-spreader has holes I l; equally'spaced and at is'inserted through one of these holes and hinges the spreader pipe l3 to the forked top of the rear clamp arm 5R. It will be seen by referring to Figure II that when right and left coupling l 'l isturned one way or the other, the pipe 13 and the nipple i0 will'be drawn together or-forcedapart so that a small adjustment can be made in the length of the spreader or thrustmembers illl l-l3, thus changingthe vertical alignment of the mold-sides held by the tension strap" IS.

'The locking lever or lever hand ll Figures I and II is a-great improvementover formerlock ing devices-made of a twisted iron rod; The'new handle'is light and strong made'hollow of 'pressed steel and reinforced at its fulcrum points with double steel clips l8 fastened to the main body I? andswinging on bolt [9. This bolt goesthrough the clamp armside under the tension strap l6 and protrudes through the opposite clamp arm side to'allow nut-32D, see Figure I, to hold the clamp arm sides from spreadingwhen pressure is applied by locking lever 11 to tension strap [6.

It will'beobserved'in'Figure'II where part-0f clamp arm sidehas been cut away, that-the tension strap l 6 ends on the rightin a forty-five'degreerbend, having a hole inthe end. This end enters the locking lever and'is fastened with. bo1t;2 I.

This angle extension makes'it'possible' Through one of the holes in the tension strap, bolt 24 with nut 25 is inserted and holds the whole assembly in alignment. To prevent bolt 24 from bending when pressure is applied, we insert wedge clip 26. This is a double-pronged wedge shaped clip passing over or straddling tension strap l6 and pressing between bolt 2t and body of rear clamp arm.

Under certain conditions; especially where many perpendicular reinforcing rods are used in walls, it has been found desirable to remove the rear mold side from the rest of the assembly and toj immediately replace it after clamp assembly with front mold side is moved forward to build another sectionof wall. To accomplish this with preferably bent inward for added stiffness andto moderately hug the sides ot'theclamp'arm 5R as" shown best in Figures-'V-and VII; Extendingabove this clasp and fastened. to theclamp arm; is a spring strap 23 with a small lug 25 attached:-

near its lower end. This-spring and lugengage the lower edge of theclasp l'l andthereby-hold the mold side, te-which the clasp is fastened;- in

position until the spring is pressed down; itthen releases the clasp 'and' the-whole mold side islooseandremovabl;

To further hold the clamparmand mold sidein alignment and rigid, weuse; adage-headed bolt'or, screw SIH-Figures-Hand I-V fastened' in the stiffening cleat t on-the mold side; the-head of this bolt being justfarenough outto admit the'slotted end-3i of the-clamp armER to pass underbolt head 30. The-slot- 31 irrthe'lowerend" of clamparm'ER is forked br-V-shapedfor ready" admittance and'goo'dside :contact.

We claim:

1. A'wall building machine comprising, in combination, a front mold side and "a rear'mol'd side;

I flange a, second narrower flange which' is folded to bring lever handle down to a locking position without interferingwith fulcrum bolt 19' and its other function of keeping clamp arm sides from spreading when pressure is applied.

The narrow slot 22 near the middle'of clamp arm through whichtension strap 16. passes,

see Figure I, is elongated, to allow tension'strap Hi to rise up'when locking lever l'lis brought up, (see. dotted lines Figure II) to release tension and push outer or rear clamp arm 5H and'its mold side away from the tamped-inwallbefore moving.

the-whole apparatus along the wall'ready to again be filled with semi-soft concrete and tamped down solid. This tension strap [6 also has evenly 'over'a stiif' steel rod in eacliouter corner of "the two flanges; said'rods'being a little-longerthan' the'flanges, so that by forcingthe ends ofthe flanges to. coincide with 1 the ends. of the: longer" rods, the-side of the mold is bowd-slightly-outward in the middle, also three cleats, extendingon' each mold side from upper'to-the." lower main" flanges;

2'. A wall building machine'comprisingjiircome edges, at right angles, main'stiffening flanges; and'comprising also on the'outer edges of each" main flange'a-second narrower flange which is folded'over a stiff steel rodin eacli'outer corner" of the two flanges, said. rods. being a little longer than the flanges, sothat'by, forcing theendsflof. the flanges to coincide withlthe ends of the longer.

rods the side of the mold is bowed slightly out: wardin the .middle, also three cleats, extending on each mold side from upper to the lower. main. flanges; a fronticlamp arm having an elongated; slot in itsmiddle and fastened tov the. center, stiifening cleat ofithe front'moldside, alockirlg,v

lever comprising an approximately right/angle double end, a fulcrum bolt through about the middle of said clamp arm and through the angle ends of the locking lever to support the latter and allow it to be raised or lowered as desired, a perforated tension strap with an angular end, connecting the lever handle with the rear clamp arm.

3. A wall building machine comprising the combination of claim 2 and. comprising in addition: A spreader assembly comprising an L screwed on a nipple fastened in the top of the front clamp arm, a right and left nipple screwed into said L, a right and left coupling screwed on the end of said second nipple, an extension pipe with adjustment holes through it screwed into said coupling.

4. A wall building machine comprising the combination of claim 2 and comprising in addition: A spreader assembly comprising an L screwed on a nipple fastened in the top of the front clamp arm, a right and left nipple screwed into said L, a right and left coupling screwed on the end of said second nipple, an extension pipe with adjustment holes through it screwed into said coupling: A rear clamp arm having a forked top and an elongated slot through its middle and to the forked top of which a spreader assembly is fastened by a bolt and through the middle of which a tension strap is fastened by a bolt, a fiat spring with a lug near its lower end, said rear clamp arm with a short V-shaped slot in its lower end.

5. A wall building machine comprising in combination all of claim 2 and comprising in addition: A spreader assembly comprising an L screwed on a nipple fastened in the top of the front clamp arm, a right and left nipple screwed into said L, a right and left coupling screwed on the end of said second nipple, an extension pipe with adjustment holes through it screwed 7 slot in its lower end; a wedge-shaped doubleclip straddling the tension strap and forced between said bolt and the outer side of rear clamp arm.

6. A wall building machine, comprising the combination of claim 2 and in addition: A spreader assembly comprising an L screwed on a nipple fastened in the top of the front clamp arm, a right and left nipple screwed into said L, a right and left coupling screwed on the end of said second nipple, an extension pipe with adjustment holes through it screwed into said coupling: A rear clamp arm having a forked top and an elongated slot through its middle and to the forked top of which a spreader assembly is fastened by a bolt and through the middle of which a tension strap is fastened by a bolt, a catch comprising a flat spring with a lug near its lower end, said rear clamp arm with a short V-shaped slot in its lower end; a wedge-shaped trouble-clip straddling the tension strap and forced between said bolt and the outer side of rear clamp arm; a U-shaped clasp, its free ends fastened to the middle cleat of the rear mold side with an open rear part, large enough to allow the lower part of the rear clamp arm to readily enter it, its rear face bent inward and its lower edge fitted to engage the above mentioned spring strap catch.

JOHN H. MAGDIEL.

DANIEL H. MAGDIEL.

No references cited. 

